After our win for Girls Do Dartmoor at the National Park protector Awards last year, we were delighted to return to London for the 2026 award ceremony. We were represented in Westminster by our CEO, Tom Usher, and were keen to celebrate all the amazing people and projects that are making a real difference across our National Parks. Our Public Access Fund was shortlisted for an award this year, which was a huge compliment, even though we didn’t go on to win. Considering all the inspiring work that’s being done in our special landscapes, it’s so encouraging to have this confirmation that our work is being seen and having an impact.
We were also delighted to support our friends at Exmoor National Park, who were runners up in the Marsh National Park Protector Award category, with their Exmoor Pioneers Project. This ambitious project supports nature and heritage, while seeking to upskill local people with heritage crafts and conservation skills. Impactful projects on the land also include improving Natural Flood Management infrastructure, the creation of new temperate rainforests, water vole reintroduction, management of habitat for Marsh Fritillary butterflies and peatland restoration.
National Park Protectors are individuals and groups who go above and beyond in and for National Parks. From large-scale projects that help nature recover to grass-roots groups improving community access to
National Parks and volunteers helping people to visit responsibly. Tens of thousands of National Park
Protectors work day-in, day-out on this never-ending task. The annual National Park Protector Awards has run since 2011, and although the Awards have changed and grown over the years, they have always been a vital opportunity to recognise and reward the hard work of people who are at the heart of our Parks. This year, the event was hosted in Parliament by Terry Jermy MP.
2026 Winners
The winner of the 2026 Living Landscapes Award, sponsored by Ramble Worldwide is: Neil Heseltine of Hill Top Farm in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Neil Heseltine, a farmer in Malham in the Yorkshire Dales, is a champion of farm-based education and connects children to sheep, cattle, soil and wildflowers, and to the wider story of the Dales landscape.
2026’s Living Landscapes Award runner up is: Ullswater Catchment Management CIC, Lake District National Park. Ullswater Catchment Management CIC works with farmers and landowners to deliver nature recovery and flood management projects in the Lake District National Park.
The winner of the 2026 Marsh National Park Nature Award, sponsored Marsh Charitable Trust, is:
Prosiect Torgoch, North Wales Rivers Trust in Eryri National Park. Prosiect Torgoch is an innovative conservation and engagement programme led by North Wales Rivers Trust. It combines science, storytelling, education, art, and community engagement to reconnect people with the Torgoch (Arctic charr) and inspire long-term stewardship of Eryri’s freshwater ecosystems.
2026’s Marsh National Park Nature Award runner up is: The Exmoor Pioneers Project team, Exmoor National Park.The Exmoor Pioneers project works across the former Royal Forest of Exmoor, restoring and enriching habitats, supporting priority species, growing new woodland and connecting people more deeply with the natural and cultural heritage around them.
The winner of the 2026 New Perspectives Award, sponsored by Natural England, is: Gareth Davies, See Cymru Differently (RNIB Cymru) working across all Welsh National Parks. Gareth Davies of See Cymru Differently has revolutionised the way visitors with sight loss engage with all Welsh National Parks. Gareth Davies was also the winners of the People’s Choice Public Vote
2026’s New Perspectives Award runner up is: Sheffield Environmental Movement, Peak District National Park. Sheffield Environmental Movement have been leading people-centred access to landscape and nature including National Parks since 2016 by addressing well-documented inequalities for people from racially minoritised communities across Sheffield and Yorkshire.
The winner of the 2026 Young Changemaker of the Year Award is: Robson Peisley in the South Downs National Park. Robson has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the South Downs; she became the youngest National Park Authority Member in the country, taking her vision for National Parks to be havens for both nature and diverse communities to the boardroom.
2026’s Young Changemaker of the Year Award runner up is: North York Moors Youth Voice. The North York Moors Youth Voice is fully youth-led. The team planned and delivered a conference that brought together young people from Protected Landscapes across England and beyond into the UK and Northern Ireland.
Lifetime Achievement Award: We awarded Yvonne Witter this award as special recognition of the overwhelming number of heartfelt nominations and in recognition of her dedication to connecting people with the Peak District National Park. Yvonne is the heart, spirit and force behind Peak District Mosaic where, for almost two decades, she has worked tirelessly to improve access to nature for diverse communities, encouraging them to explore the outdoors, building belonging and inspiring environmental care.
Image: Priority Images/ CNP